AGM battery experiences

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I'm about to buy 20 Deka/MK 8D8A batteries for a ~1200ah 48v bank. Does anyone have any experiances they'd like to share about this type of battery?

Thanks in advance,
Dennis

Comments

  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
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    Re: AGM battery experiences

    several postings, particularly by Crewzer, on this topic, have you found/ read them yet? Lots of good general AGM specific advice.

    Cheers
    Eric
     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
  • James
    James Solar Expert Posts: 250 ✭✭
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    Re: AGM battery experiences

    Hi Dennis, welcome to the forum,

    A quick question, i noticed you list 2-120 watt panels as your system size...are you also adding additional PV panels along with your battery bank size?
    Is the current battery size you noted correctly noted at 1055ah?If so, How well are your two panels doing to keep that large battery charged?
    jim
  • crewzer
    crewzer Registered Users, Solar Expert Posts: 1,832 ✭✭✭✭
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    Re: AGM battery experiences

    Eric,

    Thanks for the reference. Dennis and I have exchanged several e-mails re AGM batteries and related topics. I think he's looking for comments from a sample of more than "one". ;)

    Regards,
    Jim / crewzer
  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
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    Re: AGM battery experiences

    Jim, I think you have Dennis and I reversed. Yes I have only 2 panels at this time, use a 110 v charger/ genset to bulk charge, panels finish things off. AGM batt bought used. Sporadic use as at isolated cabin...

    Eric
     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
  • James
    James Solar Expert Posts: 250 ✭✭
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    Re: AGM battery experiences

    yes, i see, sorry. i'm over a half century old and i tend to reverse things.
    Red is positive, right, wait, no black is now positive per code???!!! :)
  • kc8adu
    kc8adu Solar Expert Posts: 50 ✭✭✭
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    Re: AGM battery experiences

    i have had good experience with the mk agm.
    time to read up on the care and feeding as you can destroy them with one goof.
  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Re: AGM battery experiences
    kc8adu wrote: »
    Read up on the care and feeding as you can destroy them with one goof.

    Be SURE your charger is set to proper battery type/voltage, one inadvertent EQ cycle can pretty much destroy them.

    That's pretty much the only new item, all the other battery care stuff still applies, except you don't get to add water.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

  • Solar Guppy
    Solar Guppy Solar Expert Posts: 1,989 ✭✭✭
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    Re: AGM battery experiences

    I have all agms, 24, 210ah in three strings. Totally maintance free and very efficient, I would NEVER, EVER , EVER use wet cells again, nothing but a royal pain, power hogs and not even that much cheaper than the AGMS I got from US battery.